What Is The Difference Between Sex And Gender?

The words sex and gender are commonly used interchangeably, but many linguists would argue that their usage is quite distinct. Sex refers to the biological and physiological characteristics, while gender refers to behaviors, roles, expectations, and activities in society. What do we mean by "sex" and "gender"? Sometimes it is hard to understand exactly what is meant by the term "gender", and how it differs from the closely related term "sex". "Sex" refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women. "Gender" refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women. To put it another way: "Male" and "female" are sex categories, while "masculine" and "feminine" are gender categories. Aspects of sex will not vary substantially between different human societies, while aspects of gender may vary greatly. Some examples of sex characteristics : Women menstruate while men do not Men have testicles while women do not Women have developed breasts that are usually capable of lactating, while men have not Men generally have more massive bones than women Some examples of gender characteristics : In the United States (and most other countries), women earn significantly less money than men for similar work In Viet Nam, many more men than women smoke, as female smoking has not traditionally been considered appropriate In Saudi Arabia men are allowed to drive cars while women are not In most of the world, women do more housework than men According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary: Sex is "The biologic character or quality that distinguishes male and female from one another as expressed by analysis of the person's gonadal, morphologic (internal and external), chromosomal, and hormonal characteristics." Gender is "The category to which an individual is assigned by self or others, on the basis of sex." The word gender comes from Middle English gendre, which came from Old French, which in turn came from the Latin word genus, meaning 'kind', 'type', or 'sort'.

The word sex probably comes from Middle English, meaning 'section' or 'divide'. In Latin the word sex means the number 'six'. A common question posed by laymen and students of social sciences raises the distinction between the term sex and the term gender. Many people use the two words incorrectly, as interchangeable, when they signify two very different things. Sex Determined by Physical Anatomy, Biological Description Sex is determined biologically and refers to an individuals physical anatomy genitalia, facial hair, body structure and composition. Sex refers to the biological characteristics that separate male from female. Sex is not culturally influenced in a direct way (although certain cultures believe in certain practices or influences impact the sex of a child during pregnancy) and is normally considered to be completely biological in nature, uninfluenced by cultures, norms, values, or mores. Gender Determined by Social, Cultural Affiliation, Learned Behaviours Gender is determined by social interaction, exchange, and absorption of peer, familial, and larger cultural values that determine gender identity and affiliation. Gender can be considered fluid in the sense that one can challenge their own gender identity, in some instances holding it completely opposed to their sex. For example, a woman who considers herself to be a male, possessing the same sexual desires as a male, and is contemplating undergoing surgery in order to become male is an example of sex and gender being separate as well as disparate. Gender roles and identities are also culturally proscribed; these roles are commonly a crucial argument in the feminist theory aspect of sociology or philosophy. Boys play with toy soldiers, while girls play with Barbie dolls this commonly held viewpoint or assumption is offensive to many feminist theorists who advocate a stripping of stereotype and gender bias. Why Is Acknowledging The Difference Between Sex and Gender Important? It is important to understand the difference between sex and gender (accompanied by the realization that they are two separate entities) in order to better understand the impact that sex and gender particularly socially ascribed gender roles can have on developing children as well as adults.

Children who differ from commonly accepted gender roles perhaps a young boy who enjoys playing with dolls or an EZ bake oven rather than toy guns and dump trucks are also commonly punished by their peers, whether physically, verbally, or emotionally. The same can be said of adults women who wear plaid and like to talk about sports might be described as butch, whereas these qualities may be seen as desirable in individuals of the male sex. Gender roles are social constructs and are subject to social change, whereas sex is a biological trait and, while it can be altered through advanced surgery, is generally considered to be static and dictated by forces of nature, rather than cultivated via nurture as gender is. Understanding and contemplating the difference and sometimes disparate nature of sex and gender can be enlightening as well as helpful in empathizing with individuals who may, in one way or another, break the social mold. As an employer, you have a responsibility to maintain a workplace that is free of sexual harassment. This is your legal obligation, but it also makes good business sense. If you allow sexual harassment to flourish in your workplace, you will pay a high price in poor employee morale, low productivity, and lawsuits. The same laws that prohibit gender discrimination prohibit sexual harassment. What Is Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance or conduct on the job that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. Any conduct of a sexual nature that makes an employee uncomfortable has the potential to be sexual harassment. Given this broad definition, it is not surprising that sexual harassment comes in many forms. The following are all examples of sexual harassment: A supervisor implies to an employee that the employee must sleep with him to keep a job. A sales clerk makes demeaning comments about female customers to his coworkers. An office manager in a law firm is made uncomfortable by lawyers who regularly tell sexually explicit jokes. A cashier at a store pinches and fondles a coworker against her will. A secretary's coworkers belittle her and refer to her by sexist or demeaning terms. Several employees post sexually explicit jokes on an office intranet bulletin board. An employee sends emails to coworkers that contain sexually explicit language and jokes. The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, manager, or coworker. An employer may even be liable for harassment by a nonemployee (such as a vendor or customer), depending on the circumstances.

Anyone Can Be Sexually Harassed Sexual harassment is a gender-neutral offense, at least in theory: Men can sexually harass women, and women can sexually harass men. However, statistics show that the overwhelming majority of sexual harassment claims and charges are brought by women claiming that they were sexually harassed by men. People of the same sex can also sexually harass each other, as long as the harassment is based on sex rather than sexual orientation, which is not a protected characteristic under Title VII. For example, if a man's coworkers constantly bombard him with sexually explicit photos of women, and this makes him uncomfortable, he might have a sexual harassment claim. If, however, a man's coworkers tease and belittle him because he is gay, that might not be illegal harassment under federal law as it is currently interpreted. (Of course, even if this type of behavior isn't illegal, it also isn't appropriate, and savvy employers will put a stop to it promptly so everyone can get back to work.) The line between harassment based on sex and harassment based on sexual orientation becomes blurred when gender-based stereotypes are at play. For example, courts have held that Title VII is violated when a woman is harassed and discriminated against because she does not act sufficiently feminine; similarly, a man who is harassed for having effeminate mannerisms and gestures is protected by Title VII. These same employees might not be protected if their harassers relied more explicitly on homophobic slurs and remarks. Again, however, smart employers won't parse the legal details: This type of behavior detracts from productivity and morale and doesn't serve any valid purpose, so there's no reason to allow it to continue. Strategies for Prevention There are a number of steps that you can take to reduce the risk of sexual harassment occurring in your workplace. Although you may not be able to take all of the steps listed below, you should take as many of them as you can. Adopt a clear sexual harassment policy. In your employee handbook, you should have a policy devoted to sexual harassment. That policy should: define sexual harassment state in no uncertain terms that you will not tolerate sexual harassment state that you will discipline or fire any wrongdoers set out a clear procedure for filing sexual harassment complaints state that you will investigate fully any complaint that you receive, and state that you will not tolerate retaliation against anyone who complains about sexual harassment.

Train employees. At least once a year, conduct training sessions for employees. These sessions should teach employees what sexual harassment is, explain that

employees have a right to a workplace free of sexual harassment, review your complaint procedure, and encourage employees to use it. Train supervisors and managers. At least once a year, conduct training sessions for supervisors and managers that are separate from the employee sessions. The sessions should educate the managers and supervisors about sexual harassment and explain how to deal with complaints

Chap 8: Thinking, Language, And intelligence Representativeness Heuristic Description People tend to judge the probability of an event by finding a comparable known event and assuming that the probabilities will be similar. As a part of creating meaning from what we experience, we need to classify things. If something does not fit exactly into a known category, we will approximate with the nearest class available. Overall, the primary fallacy is in assuming that similarity in one aspect leads to similarity in other aspects. The gamblers fallacy, the belief in runs of good and bad luck can be explained by the representativeness heuristic. People will also force statistical arrangements to represent their beliefs about them, for example a set of random numbers will be carefully mixed up so no similar numbers are near one another. We will also tend to ignore base rates (the relative frequency with which an event occurs) as well as regression towards the mean (where an extreme value is likely to be followed by one which is much closer to the mean). The law of small numbers is the assumption people make that a small sample is representative of a much larger population. Example If I meet someone with a laid back attitude and long hair, I might assume they are Californian, whereas someone who is very polite but rigid may be assumed to be English. People will often assume that a random sequence in a lottery is more likely than a arithmetic sequence of numbers. If I meet three people from a company and they are all aggressive, I will assume that the company has an aggressive culture and that most other people from that firm will also be aggressive.

Availability Heuristic Description We make a judgment based on what we can remember, rather than complete data. In particular, we use this for judging frequency or likelihood of events. Because we remember recent experiences or reports, then the news has a significant effect on our decisions. After a news feature about a rape case, many women will be more nervous about going out alone at night. We have thus been primed by the news, increasing the accessibility of this information. Various factors can affect availability. Things which are easier to imagine, for example if they are very vivid makes themselves more available. Things which are uncomfortable to think about can push people into denial, making these thoughts unavailable. This may also be why we can seem egocentric: because our own experiences are more available to us.

What Is Stress? How To Deal With Stress We generally use the word "stress" when we feel that everything seems to have become too much - we are overloaded and wonder whether we really can cope with the pressures placed upon us. Anything that poses a challenge or a threat to our well-being is a stress. Some stresses get you going and they are good for you - without any stress at all many say our lives would be boring and would probably feel pointless. However, when the stresses undermine both our mental and physical health they are bad. In this text we shall be focusing on stress that is bad for you. Fight or flight response The way you respond to a challenge may also be a type of stress. Part of your response to a challenge is physiological and affects your physical state. When faced with a challenge or a threat, your body activates resources to protect you - to either get away as fast as you can, or fight. If you are upstairs at home and an earthquake starts, the faster you can get yourself and your family out the more likely you are all to survive. If you need to save somebody's life during that earthquake, by lifting a heavy weight that has fallen on them during the earthquake, you will need components in your body to be activated to give you that extra strength - that extra push. Our fight-or-flight response is our body's sympathetic nervous system reacting to a

stressful event. Our body produces larger quantities of the chemicals cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline, which trigger a higher heart rate, heightened muscle preparedness, sweating, and alertness - all these factors help us protect ourselves in a dangerous or challenging situation. Non-essential body functions slow down, such as our digestive and immune systems when we are in fight-or flight response mode. All resources can then be concentrated on rapid breathing, blood flow, alertness and muscle use. So, let's recap, when we are stressed the following happens:

Blood pressure rises Breathing becomes more rapid Digestive system slows down Heart rate (pulse) rises Immune system goes down Muscles become tense We do not sleep (heightened state of alertness) Most of us have varying interpretations of what stress is about and what matters. Some of us focus on what happens to us, such as breaking a bone or getting a promotion, while others think more about the event itself. What really matters are our thoughts about the situations in which we find ourselves. We are continually sizing up situations that confront us in life. We assess each situation, deciding whether something is a threat, how we can deal with it and what resources we can use. If we conclude that the required resources needed to effectively deal with a situation are beyond what we have available, we say that that situation is stressful - and we react with a classical stress response. On the other hand, if we decide our available resources and skills are more than enough to deal with a situation, it is not seen as stressful to us.

Stress Feeling like there are too many pressures and demands on you? Losing sleep worrying about tests and schoolwork? Eating on the run because your schedule is just too busy? You're not alone. Everyone experiences stress at times adults, teens, and even kids. But there are ways to minimize stress and manage the stress that's unavoidable.

What Is Stress? Stress is a feeling that's created when we react to particular events. It's the body's way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation with focus, strength, stamina, and heightened alertness. The events that provoke stress are called stressors, and they cover a whole range of situations everything from outright physical danger to making a class presentation or taking a semester's worth of your toughest subject. The human body responds to stressors by activating the nervous system and specific hormones. The hypothalamus signals theadrenal glands to produce more of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol and release them into the bloodstream. These hormones speed up heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and metabolism. Blood vessels open wider to let more blood flow to large muscle groups, putting our muscles on alert. Pupils dilate to improve vision. The liver releases some of its stored glucose to increase the body's energy. And sweat is produced to cool the body. All of these physical changes prepare a person to react quickly and effectively to handle the pressure of the moment. This natural reaction is known as the stress response. Working properly, the body's stress response enhances a person's ability to perform well under pressure. But the stress response can also cause problems when it overreacts or fails to turn off and reset itself properly. Good Stress and Bad Stress The stress response (also called the fight or flight response) is critical during emergency situations, such as when a driver has to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident. It can also be activated in a milder form at a time when the pressure's on but there's no actual danger like stepping up to take the foul shot that could win the game, getting ready to go to a big dance, or sitting down for a final exam. A little of this stress can help keep you on your toes, ready to rise to a challenge. And the nervous system quickly returns to its normal state, standing by to respond again when needed. But stress doesn't always happen in response to things that are immediate or that are over quickly. Ongoing or long-term events, like coping with a divorce or moving to a new neighborhood or school, can cause stress, too. Long-term stressful situations can produce a lasting, low-level stress that's hard on people. The nervous system senses continued pressure and may remain slightly activated and continue to pump out extra stress hormones over an extended period. This can wear

out the body's reserves, leave a person feeling depleted or overwhelmed, weaken the body's immune system, and cause other problems. What Causes Stress Overload? Although just enough stress can be a good thing, stress overload is a different story too much stress isn't good for anyone. For example, feeling a little stress about a test that's coming up can motivate you to study hard. But stressing out too much over the test can make it hard to concentrate on the material you need to learn. Pressures that are too intense or last too long, or troubles that are shouldered alone, can cause people to feel stress overload. Here are some of the things that can overwhelm the body's ability to cope if they continue for a long time:

being bullied or exposed to violence or injury relationship stress, family conflicts, or the heavy emotions that can accompany a broken heart or the death of a loved one ongoing problems with schoolwork related to a learning disability or other problems, such as ADHD (usually once the problem is recognized and the person is given the right learning support the stress disappears) crammed schedules, not having enough time to rest and relax, and always being on the go Some stressful situations can be extreme and may require special attention and care. Posttraumatic stress disorder is a very strong stress reaction that can develop in people who have lived through an extremely traumatic event, such as a serious car accident, a natural disaster like an earthquake, or an assault like rape. Some people have anxiety problems that can cause them to overreact to stress, making even small difficulties seem like crises. If a person frequently feels tense, upset, worried, or stressed, it may be a sign of anxiety. Anxiety problems usually need attention, and many people turn to professional counselors for help in overcoming them. Signs of Stress Overload People who are experiencing stress overload may notice some of the following signs:

anxiety or panic attacks a feeling of being constantly pressured, hassled, and hurried irritability and moodiness

physical symptoms, such as stomach problems, headaches, or even chest pain allergic reactions, such as eczema or asthma problems sleeping drinking too much, smoking, overeating, or doing drugs sadness or depression

Everyone experiences stress a little differently. Some people become angry and act out their stress or take it out on others. Some people internalize it and develop eating disorders or substance abuse problems. And some people who have a chronic illness may find that the symptoms of their illness flare up under an overload of stress. Keep Stress Under Control What can you do to deal with stress overload or, better yet, to avoid it in the first place? The most helpful method of dealing with stress is learning how to manage the stress that comes along with any new challenge, good or bad. Stress-management skills work best when they're used regularly, not just when the pressure's on. Knowing how to "de-stress" and doing it when things are relatively calm can help you get through challenging circumstances that may arise. Here are some things that can help keep stress under control:

Take a stand against overscheduling. If you're feeling stretched, consider cutting out an activity or two, opting for just the ones that are most important to you. Be realistic. Don't try to be perfect no one is. And expecting others to be perfect can add to your stress level, too (not to mention put a lot of pressure on them!). If you need help on something, like schoolwork, ask for it. Get a good night's sleep. Getting enough sleep helps keep your body and mind in top shape, making you better equipped to deal with any negative stressors. Because the biological "sleep clock" shifts during adolescence, many teens prefer staying up a little later at night and sleeping a little later in the morning. But if you stay up late and still need to get up early for school, you may not get all the hours of sleep you need. Learn to relax. The body's natural antidote to stress is called therelaxation response. It's your body's opposite of stress, and it creates a sense of well-being and calm. The chemical benefits of the relaxation response can be activated simply by relaxing. You can help trigger the relaxation response by learning simple breathing exercises and then using them when you're caught up in stressful situations. (Click on the button to try one.) And ensure you stay relaxed by building time into your schedule for activities

that are calming and pleasurable: reading a good book or making time for a hobby, spending time with your pet, or just taking a relaxing bath. Treat your body well. Experts agree that getting regular exercise helps people manage stress. (Excessive orcompulsive exercise can contribute to stress, though, so as in all things, use moderation.) And eat well to help your body get the right fuel to function at its best. It's easy when you're stressed out to eat on the run or eat junk food or fast food. But under stressful conditions, the body needs its vitamins and minerals more than ever. Some people may turn to substance abuse as a way to ease tension. Although alcohol or drugs may seem to lift the stress temporarily, relying on them to cope with stress actually promotes more stress because it wears down the body's ability to bounce back. Watch what you're thinking. Your outlook, attitude, and thoughts influence the way you see things. Is your cup half full or half empty? A healthy dose of optimism can help you make the best of stressful circumstances. Even if you're out of practice, or tend to be a bit of a pessimist, everyone can learn to think more optimistically and reap the benefits. Solve the little problems. Learning to solve everyday problems can give you a sense of control. But avoiding them can leave you feeling like you have little control and that just adds to stress. Develop skills to calmly look at a problem, figure out options, and take some action toward a solution. Feeling capable of solving little problems builds the inner confidence to move on to life's bigger ones and it and can serve you well in times of stress.

Build Your Resilience Ever notice that certain people seem to adapt quickly to stressful circumstances and take things in stride? They're cool under pressure and able to handle problems as they come up. Researchers have identified the qualities that make some people seem naturally resilient even when faced with high levels of stress. If you want to build your resilience, work on developing these attitudes and behaviors:

Think of change as a challenging and normal part of life. See setbacks and problems as temporary and solvable. Believe that you will succeed if you keep working toward your goals.

Take action to solve problems that crop up. Build strong relationships and keep commitments to family and friends. Have a support system and ask for help. Participate regularly in activities for relaxation and fun.

Learn to think of challenges as opportunities and stressors as temporary problems, not disasters. Practice solving problems and asking others for help and guidance rather than complaining and letting stress build. Make goals and keep track of your progress. Make time for relaxation. Be optimistic. Believe in yourself. Be sure to breathe. And let a little stress motivate you into positive action to reach your goal.

What is sexual harassment? Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination.The legal definition of sexual harassment is unwelcomeverbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is severe or pervasive and affects working conditions or creates a hostile work environment. Unwelcome Conduct is not sexual harassment if it is welcome.For this reason, it is important to communicate (either verbally, in writing, or by your own actions) to the harasser that the conduct makes you uncomfortable and that you want it to stop. Conduct Of A Sexual Nature Many different kinds of conductverbal, visual or physicalthat is of a sexual nature may be sexual harassment, if the behavior is unwelcome and if it is severe or pervasive. Here are some more examples: Verbal or written: Comments about clothing, personal behavior, or a persons body; sexual or sex-based jokes; requesting sexual favors or repeatedly asking a person out; sexual innuendoes; telling rumors about a persons personal or sexual life; threatening a person

Physical: Assault; impeding or blocking movement; inappropriate touching of a person or a persons clothing; kissing, hugging, patting, stroking Nonverbal: Looking up and down a persons body; derogatory gestures or facial expressions of a sexual nature; following a person Visual: Posters, drawings, pictures, screensavers or emails of a sexual nature ** Non-sexual conduct may also be sexual harassment if you are harassed because you are female, rather than male, or because you are male, rather than female.For example, it may be sexual harassment if you are a woman working as a carpenter on an all-male job, and you are the only one whose tools are frequently hidden by your male co-workers. Severe or Pervasive The conduct of the harasser must either be severe or it must be pervasive to be sexual harassment. A single incident is probably not sexual harassment unless it is severe. For example, a single incident of rape or attempted rape would probably be sexual harassment (it would also violate criminal laws). Although a single unwanted request for a date or one sexually suggestive comment might offend you and/or be inappropriate, it may not be sexual harassment. However, a number of relatively minor separate incidents may add up to sexual harassment if the incidents affect your work environment. Some questions you can ask yourself to determine whether the conduct is pervasive are: How many times did the incidents occur? How long has the harassment been going on? How many other people were also sexually harassed? Affects Working Conditions or Creates a Hostile Work Environment If you are fired, refused a promotion, demoted, given a poor performance evaluation, or reassigned to a less desirable position because you reject a sexual advance, that almost certainly is sexual harassment. Even if the conduct does not result in economic injury or change of status to your job, it may be sexual harassment if the conduct unreasonably interferes with your work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. For example, it may be illegal sexual harassment if repeated sexual comments make you so uncomfortable at work that your performance suffers or if you decline professional opportunities because it will put you in contact with the harasser. Sexual harassment is against the law Laws against sexual harassment are designed to protect you from your boss, your coworker, or customers at work.Both men and women can be sexually harassed.Someone of the same or opposite sex can sexually harass you.

Federal Law The federal law prohibiting sexual harassment in the workplace is Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, as amended.The law makes certain employers responsible for preventing and stopping sexual harassment that occurs on the job. Title VII applies to private and most public employers, labor organizations, employment agencies, and joint employer-union apprenticeship programs with 15 or more employees. California State Law The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibits sexual harassment in employment.FEHA applies to private public employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, state licensing boards, and state and local governments that have 1 or more employees.Unlike Title VII, FEHA provides protection against sexual harassment for persons who provide services pursuant to a contract. Other State Laws Like California, most states have a law that makes sexual harassment and other forms of sex discrimination illegal.Equal Rights Advocates Advice and Counseling Line can refer you to a local attorney (see Resources section). Retaliation is Also Against the Law Not only is sex harassment against the law, but so is retaliating (taking revenge) against someone for complaining about sexual harassment or for participating in an investigation of sexual harassment. Examples of retaliation include: you complain about sexual harassment and are made to take an unpaid leave of absence, although the harasser continues to work; after you write a letter describing sexual harassment that you witnessed, you are reassigned to a less desirable position in the same or different department. If your employer retaliates against you for complaining about sexual harassment or for participating as a witness in an investigation of sexual harassment, you may take any or all of the steps suggested below (see What You Can Do section). Employer responsibilities to employees Title VII makes employers liable to prevent and stop sexual harassment of employees. Under Title VII, covered employers must: (1) take reasonable care to prevent sexual harassment; (2) take reasonable care to promptly correct sexual harassment that has occurred. There are no specific actions an employer must take to satisfy the requirement that it take reasonable care to prevent or stop sexual harassment. An employer may satisfy the

requirement of reasonable care to prevent sexual harassment by having and distributing to employees a policy prohibiting sexual harassment and informing employees how to make a complaint. However, if an employer has a policy but does not enforce it, or if an employer fails to investigate sexual harassment complaints but investigates other complaints of misconduct, then the employer may not be taking reasonable care. However, before an employer can be legally responsible for taking reasonable care to correct sexual harassment, the employer must be aware that the harassment has occurred. For this reason, it is important to follow your companys internal grievance procedures, if they exist, or to otherwise notify your supervisor if you are experiencing harassment. It is sometimes hard to report harassment because you might feel embarrassed or think that it was your fault even though it is not. Reporting sexual harassment to your employer is important. It may stop the behavior and it makes your employer responsible for stopping the behavior. What You Can Do When you are deciding what to do, remember that every situation is different.There is no one best thing to do. You should always report the sexual harassment to your employer. You then have the option to use your companys sexual harassment complaint process, file a charge with a state or federal agency, and/or go to court. It is important to talk with a lawyer or legal services organization like Equal Rights Advocates to discuss your choices (see Resources).They can help you to understand your choices, their benefits and risks as well as the strengths and weaknesses of your case. Say No Clearly Tell the person that his/her behavior offends you. Firmly refuse all invitations.If the harassment doesnt end promptly, write a letter asking the harasser to stop and keep a copy. Write Down What Happened As soon as you experience the sexual harassment, start writing it down.Write down dates, places, times, and possible witnesses to what happened.If possible, ask your co-workers to write down what they saw or heard, especially if the same thing is happening to them.Remember that others may (and probably will) read this written record at some point. It is a good idea to keep the record at home or in some other safe place.Do not keep the record at work.

Report the Harassment Tell your supervisor, your human resources department or some other department or person within your organization who has the power to stop the harassment. If possible, tell them in writing. Keep a copy of any written complaint you make to your employer.It is very important that you report the harassment because your employer must know or have reason to know about the harassment in order to be legally responsible for a coworker, client or customers actions. Even if your harasser was your supervisor, you may need to show that you reported the harassment to your employer or give a good reason why you didnt. Start a Paper Trail When you report the sexual harassment to your employer, do it in writing.Describe the problem and how you want it fixed.This creates a written record of when you complained and what happened in response to it. Keep copies of everything you send and receive from your employer. Review your Personnel File It is your right to see your personnel file.If you work for a private employer, in certain states including California, you have the right to request and receive copies of everything in your file that you have signed. Use the Grievance Procedure at Work Many employers and schools have policies for dealing with sexual harassment complaints. You may be able to resolve the problem through this process.To find out your employers policies, look in your employee manual/personnel policies and/or speak to a human resources officer. It is important to follow your employers procedures. Involve your Union If you belong to a union, you may want to file a formal sexual harassment complaint through the union and try to get a shop steward or other union official to help you work through the grievance process. Get a copy of your unions grievance policy and see if it discusses the problems you are experiencing. If you use your unions grievance procedure, you must still file a complaint with a government agency if you want to file a lawsuit in federal or state court. File a lawsuit After you file a formal complaint with the EEOC or your states fair employment agency, you can also consider filing a lawsuit.You can sue for money damages, to get your job

back, and you can also ask the court to make your employer change its practices to prevent future sexual harassment from occurring. Sometimes psychology students confuse algorithms and heuristics because they both relate to obtaining a specific end, such as an action or answer. However, algorithms and heuristics are independent psychology terms with separate definitions. Algorithms When someone hears the word "algorithm" they will almost certainly think of math or science before psychology. That is because algorithms are systematic processes in which a specific answer may be found, such as a mathematical equation. However, algorithms do exist in the realm of psychology and refer to a set of finite, or limited, steps necessary to reach a certain objective. While it's true some examples of algorithms are math equations or recipes, and these examples are valuable because they offer familiar demonstrations of a finite set of steps taken in order to reach an answer, it is important for one to consider the psychological aspect of algorithms as well. In psychology, algorithms refer to well defined or precise steps necessary to solve a problem (rather than obtain a numerical amount or bake a cake). For example, someone who has forgotten their glasses may develop an algorithm for copying the correct information from a white board at school similar to: 1. Attempt to read information. If this is possible, copy it down. If not, refer to step 2. 2. Squint eyes in an attempt to read the information. If this is possible, copy it down. If not, refer to step 3. 3.Ask a neighbor what the information says. If this is possible, copy this down. If not, refer to step 4. The steps of this algorithm will carry on until the objective, namely copying down the notes, is reached. Here we see there are specific actions the individual will take in order to copy down their notes, in order to preference specific to themselves (a different individual may develop a different algorithm in order to solve the same problem, depending on their personality).

Heuristics The word heuristic comes from the Greek word meaning "to find" and also relates to the psychology of problem solving. Heuristics concern reaching a solution as quickly as possible when a clear method for accomplishment is not available, relying on preconceived notions, rules of thumb, or educated guesses. A popular example of heuristics is know as the availability heuristic, which is the process by which people reach conclusions based upon popular knowledge. One famous demonstration of the availability heuristic which illustrated the potential erroneous answers such a heuristic may lead someone to conclude was published in "Science" in 1974. Researchers found that when asked whether they thought there were more words which started with "R" or "K" as opposed to words in which "R" or "K" were the third letter, subjects would respond that there were more words of the first nature. Using the availability heuristic, subjects personally recalled more words which began with "R" or "K" rather than words in which "R" or "K" were the third letter and therefore concluded there were more of them in general. However, there are three times as many letters in which "R" or "K" are the third letter than words which are started with "R" or "K", thus demonstrating that availability heuristics, while providing people with a short cut to answers, will sometimes bring about incorrect answers due to a bias. The Difference Between Algorithms and Heuristics Though both algorithms and heuristics are terms found in psychology which refer to steps taken in order to solve problems, algorithms concerns a specific set of finite steps in order to bring about a solution whereas heuristics offer possible means to arrive upon an answer. Algorithms and heuristics are both created from previously observed patterns and reactions which seem relevant to a a current problem, though algorithms offer steps with results which are typically easier to predict than the cognitive steps taken when dealing with heuristics. Therefore, for the organized, dedicated, or interested person, problem solving is usually ideally attacked with use of algorithms over heuristics. However, if someone is tiring of conformist solutions, or an algorithm is not available, someone may choose to utilize heuristics. An example of algorithm for solving a problem

(the linear motion) - Read the text; make sure you understand each word - Make a sketch; mark on the sketch all the important moments of time, intervals of motion; locations of a body (bodies); displacements of a body (bodies); velocities; accelerations - Write for each interval of the motion the equation by using the notations - Substitute into the formulas all known magnitudes - Solve the obtained set of equations - Read the text - Make a sketch (the body, the direction of its motion, the initial and final position) - Point on the sketch all the necessary/important instants of time and intervals of motion - Notate the each specific instant of time, the each specific displacement and the each specific speed - Wright for each intervals of motion the equation of the linear motion with a constant velocity using the given notations - Substitute into the formulas all known magnitudes - Solve the obtained set of equations The Big Five Personality Traits "The Big Five" model is a personality theory that describes personality using five basic traits. Openness to experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism make up this theory... an easy way to remember this is with the acronym OCEAN. How do these traits affect a way a child learns in school? It is necessary to examine each of the traits individually.

Openness to Experience Openness is a general appreciation for art, unusual ideas, curiosity, and imagination. This trait distinguishes people who are more imaginative from those who are down-to-earth. People who are more open tend to be more creative, more likely to be open to new and different ideas, and more in-touch with his/her feelings. People who score lower in openness to experience tend to be more closed-off. They are generally more analytical and resistant to change. They see imagination and art as things that are a waste of time. So how would this apply to a learning environment? A child who has a more active imagination will be more likely to create stories, be better readers, and develop better writing skills. Curiosity breeds good questions which causes a search for answers and when people a looking for answers, not just going through the motions, they are more likely to retain the information. People who score lower on the openness to experience scale are more likely to be concerned with grades. They are more likely to just work hard for the sake of hard work. Conscientiousness Conscientiousness is a tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for achievement. This trait shows a preference for planned rather than spontaneous behavior. Conscientious individuals achieve high levels of success through purposeful planning and persistence. They are also regarded by others as responsible and reliable. They can become compulsive perfectionists and workaholics. In a learning environment the benefits of being conscientious are clear. A person who is more conscientious and plans his/her work and practices self-discipline will be more likely to succeed. Those people are focused and aware of the work that needs to get done and do it in a timely and efficient manner. Teachers would generally describe conscientious students as the responsible students. Extraversion Extraversion is the tendency to seek out the company and stimulation of others. The trait is marked by pronounced engagement with the external world. They tend to be enthusiastic, action-oriented people, who love excitement. In groups they like to talk and draw attention to themselves.

Introverts lack the exuberence, energy, and activity level of extraverts. The tend to be quiet and low-key and not very involved in the social world. Introverts shouldn't be confused with depression or shyness, they simply lack the need for external stimulation that extraverts crave. In a learning environment, either extreme is generally considered negative, however usually people get more concerned when their child doesn't want to play with other kids. There is nothing wrong with not needing lots of time with other people but it is important to not let a child isolate. In school it is important that the pressures that come along with social lives don't get in the way with learning. Agreeableness Agreeableness is the tendency to be compassionate and cooperative with others. The trait reflects individual differences for social harmony. Agreeable individuals, as the name suggests, generally get along with others. They generally have an optimistic view of human nature. Disagreeable individuals place self-interest above all else. They are not very concerned with others' well-being, and are less likely to extend themselves to others. They tend to be skeptical of people's motives and of human nature which can make them suspicious, unfriendly, and uncooperative. In the learning environment it is much more helpful to have agreeable people. Cooperation is one of the most important things kids learn in early childhood and so more agreeable children make for a better adjusted classroom. Also, if you have a classroom full of disagreeable people it will cause too much turmoil for learning to take place. Neuroticism Neuroticism is the tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anger, depression, or anxiety. Those who score high in neuroticism are highly reactive in stressful situations. They are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening or minor situations as too difficult or as impossible. In a learning environment those highly neurotic people have a harder time adjusting to stressful situations. When presented with a difficult situation or a problem that they don't know how to figure out, they just break down rather than being able to handle the situation. They also get angry easily and don't know what they are angry at, themselves, the homework, the teacher, etc.

How stress affects business The stress that an employee encounters at the workplace adversely affects the productivity of an organisation. Are you doing anything to curb it? The negative impact of employee stress on business is now an acknowledged factor. Studies in America have proved that the annual cost of employee stress in terms of loss to productivity is more than $300 billion. Unmanaged stress has a debilitating impact on the organisation, and the consequences vary from loss of individual productivity to increased absenteeism to rise in employee attrition. Team morale and company productivity are also adversely affected. But is it possible to create a stress-free workplace? Probably not, as it is indeed an integral part of our personal and professional lives, but the solution lies in creating an environment that reduces its impact. The fact that employee stress is a subjective matter cannot be overlooked. What might appear as a stressful situation for one might be taken as a normal work routine by another. Unmanaged stress Stressful working conditions have a direct negative impact on the mental and physical well-being of the workforce. A disgruntled workforce obviously under-performs and under-delivers, leading to an impact on the bottom-line. In a precautionary sense, unmanaged stress can be infectious in large-sized organisations. As a nation, we have spent the last two decades trying to eradicate cohesion of employees in a formal context (unions, associations) from the workplace. Unfortunately, such a scenario is fuelled by intangible conditions like unmanaged stress. In addition, a company can suffer external image damage from being perceived as having a stressful work environment, limiting its talent acquisition strategies, says Monisha Advani, CEO, Emmay HR. Stress undermines an employees ability to think clearly, to work well with others, and to perform his or her best. Seth Appel, Director, Talent Transformation Group, OfficeTiger, lists the obvious consequences: poor decision-making, absenteeism, burn-out, attrition, and unnecessary and wasteful inter-personal conflict. Business cost The need to calculate the business cost of employee stress has led to many studies being conducted globally. Eileen Sweeney, Senior Vice-President, Global HR, Lionbridge Technologies lists the key indicators of stress:

Absenteeism

Rising health costs Attrition Lowered productivity and increased production costs. Appel opines that one way to measure the cost of stress is to make a measured judgement based on employee exit interviews and on the percentage of attrition due to stress. When the cost to recruit, train and develop a new employee is accounted for, we can arrive at a general cost that the company is incurring due to stress. Unfortunately, it is difficult to measure the other less-tangible by-products of stressmanagers who engage in needless bickering instead of working together, and employees who return home and spend their free time worrying about work and return the following day tired instead of energised. Dont forget the team members who are too anxious to speak openly at meetings, and therefore deprive the company of their good ideas. All of these are unwanted and wasteful by-products of stress that are hard to quantify. Stress can also be measured in terms of productivity gains or losses, and the consequent revenues. A correlation can be seen in stressful roles, specially in the IT and BPO sectors wherein typical measurements like lines of code per day, average call-handling time, number of calls taken and so on have a direct bearing on the stress levels of employees, says Madan Padaki, Co-founder and Director, Business Development, MeriTrac Services. Preventing stress It is believed that one should work at preventing stress rather than at managing it. Interestingly, most experts seem divided over the issue. Aiming to prevent employee stress is not a realistic goal, asserts Appel, adding that it is not even a desired goal. He then explains why. Modern psychology often makes the mistake of trying to create a stress- and worry-free world. This is a misguided aim as stress and worry play important functions in our day-to-day lives. Worry is a way our brain forces us to focus on important problems. A healthy dose of stress gets us out of our chairs and into action. The challenge is not stress, but the debilitating doses of stress that are destructive rather than constructive. A little bit of stress can be a good thing. The pressures to perform at peak levels consistently is a set expectation from every employee, and as a result stress cannot be avoided. Padaki however believes that the need of the hour is to help employees manage stress effectively, and more importantly, create a corporate ambience that does not perpetrate any other internal strain in the organisation. It is possible to create such an ambience which infuses a healthy, positive energy in the workplace and puts everyone in a can-do mood. A preventive approach is indeed needed, particularly since formal remedial policies to manage stress can lead to an acknowledgement on the part of an employer that a problem exists. Insisting that prevention is better than cure, Sweeney points out that companies need to consistently focus on taking measures to reduce stress. One key aspect of

stress reduction is ensuring that employees and managers are provided with the skills and tools needed to perform their roles successfully. Complete freedom from stress can never be a reality, whether in personal or professional life. Perhaps a priest in a temple can aim for a stress-free workplace, but in the business sector stress is part of the days work. An essential part of business involves destroying current systems, connections, understandings, products and so on, and re-creating them into something new. By definition, there is going to be some stress in this process. Again, as a manager pushes a team to better its performance, incorporate new technology and bring up innovative ideas, this process will inevitably cause stress. The goal is to find ways to manage this stress in a positive and constructive manner, concludes Appel.

STEREOTYPES

Workplace stereotyping often goes far beyond race, sex, national origin, color and religion as the bases for unfair generalizations. Stereotyping among employees includes statements about employees from certain generations and employees who embrace different philosophical views about work. Nevertheless, the tendency to stereotype generally comes from discriminatory practices frowned upon by federal and state laws that prohibit discriminatory practices in the workplace. Step 1 Implement workplace policies that discourage discrimination and stereotyping among employees. Base fundamental workplace policies on federal and state antidiscrimination laws such as those enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Post written EEOC policies throughout the workplace in common areas where most employees will take notice. Step 2 Research federal and state equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination laws. Contact EEOC and state human rights commissions on developing effective EEO workplace policies. Read case law about discrimination lawsuits and how employers fared in cases where employees complained of hostile work environments and working conditions where they were subjected to stereotyping and workplace harassment. Step 3 Provide diversity training to employees, supervisors and managers. Expand learning objectives to include diversity beyond the typical race, sex, national origin and religion topics. Encourage open and frank discussions during training by exploring employee diversity in terms of generational differences, work styles, work philosophy and ethics. Step 4

Schedule meetings with supervisors and managers to discuss ways they can prevent employee stereotyping within their departments. Remind supervisors and managers that they have a responsibility to maintain fair employment practices. When employers make decisions based on fair employment practices, the likelihood of discrimination and workplace stereotypes diminishes. Step 5 Reassign work groups so employees who generally work with each other become members of work groups with co-workers with whom they have limited contact. Consider work groups that consist of employees from different generations and workers who have varied work styles. Create ways for employees to increase their exposure to diverse groups, and encourage learning more about co-workers and their attitudes toward work through working collaborations. Step 6 Establish workplace affinity groups. The purpose of affinity groups is to improve networking among employees from diverse populations. Affinity groups also increase awareness of diverse populations through open membership to all employees. Step 7 Refrain from forcing employees to embrace diversity in the workplace. Requiring employees to participate in social activities designed to encourage interaction between employees from diverse populations may have unintended consequences.